V211-26-048 Laundry Chemicals & Dispensing Equipment RFP

Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, Virginia, issued Request for Proposal V211-26-048 seeking qualified contractors to supply laundry chemicals and dispensing equipment for the Institute's commercial laundry operations. The procurement requires contractors to provide laundry washing chemicals compatible with VMI's existing GA Braun wash wheels (two 600-pound capacity, one 400-pound capacity, and one 100-pound capacity machines) that effectively remove stains from cadet uniforms and sportswear while accommodating multiple fabric types including cotton, polyester, linen, Gore-Tex, spandex, rayon, and performance materials. Contractors must also supply chemical dispensing equipment with local reporting capabilities, bleaching agents, starch products, and dry cleaning chemicals suitable for wool garments. The contract requires preventive maintenance services at no cost to VMI with emergency repair response within twenty-four hours of notification, monthly and annual preventive maintenance plans with service records, and removal and proper disposal of existing equipment. Products must be environmentally responsible with minimal dyes and fragrances (less than 1% concentrate, less than 0.1% when diluted). An optional pre-proposal conference was held on March 19, 2026, at 9:30 AM at VMI's PX at Third Barracks; written questions were due by March 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST, and proposals were due April 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST through the eVA procurement portal. Evaluation criteria allocate points for service plans (20 points), offeror qualifications and experience (20 points), price (15 points), implementation and planning (15 points), and references (10 points). The initial contract period extends from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with three optional one-year renewals available.

All contracts exceeding $100,000 require a small business subcontracting plan, and evaluation criteria include 20 points for Small, Woman-Owned and Minority (SWaM) business participation, indicating priority for disadvantaged enterprise involvement. Contractors must maintain Commercial General Liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, comply with anti-discrimination provisions and drug-free workplace requirements, and register with eVA and pay associated transaction fees. The incumbent contractor's current dispensing equipment remains their property and must be removed by the new contractor. Pricing shall be submitted on a fixed-price basis with adjustments only by mutual written agreement to account for manufacturer price changes. The RFP document does not specify a detailed budget range or award value; interested contractors should contact Procurement Officer Shana O'Quinn at 540-464-7323 or procurement@vmi.edu for additional information regarding the potential contract value.